A Detroit firefighter and longtime veteran died last night while on duty.
Sgt. Vince Smith, a 24-year veteran with Detroit Fire died in his sleep at Engine 48, on Fort St near Marathon Oil refinery. Smith was assigned to DFD Ladder 13 but he was pulling a duty shift overnight at Engine 48.
"He had a special way that he saw life," said Battalion Chief Steve Kirschner. "And it was catchy to people around him."
Smith's smile was contagious. At an often thankless job, he kept his buddies' spirits up, anyway he could.